Mobile Chrome Apps Closer Than You Think

Running Chrome apps on your smartphone isn't quite the app singularity that people want, where any app runs on any platform. But Google's about to take a big step toward that future in 2014 with Chrome apps for Android and iOS. Google is working getting its Web-based Chrome Apps to run on smartphones and tablets with a new project called Mobile Chrome Apps. Google developer advocate Joe Marini told The Next Web that Google would like to have a beta version ready in January.

Erik Kay, Chrome's engineering director, told CNET when Chrome Apps launched in September that Android integration plans for Chrome Apps were even then underway. In addition to offline access, Chrome Apps can use lower-level system resources including USB ports and Bluetooth, and can interact with digital cameras and printers.